Thermoelectric printer with electrode disposed in ribbon cartridge

Abstract

A thermoelectric printer includes a cartridge accommodating a pair of reels around which a thermoelectric ink ribbon is wound, a carriage for removably supporting the cartridge, a printing head disposed on the carriage to apply a recording voltage to the ink ribbon to carry out printing, and a return electrode disposed inside the cartridge to electrically contact the ink ribbon. A resilient member conductive to the return electrode is also arranged inside the cartridge. The carriage has a contact element. When the cartridge is installed to the carriage, the contact element protrudes inside the cartridge to forcibly-contact the resilient member to form an electric correction between them. Then, a printing current flows from a recording electrode of the printing head to the ink ribbon, return electrode, resilient member and contact element and is then discharged to the carriage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thermoelectric printer in which a printing head means having a recording electrode applies a recording voltage to a thermoelectric ink ribbon to supply a recording current to the ink ribbon, a part of the current supplied ink ribbon being heated, an ink being transferred from the part of the ink ribbon to a printing sheet to print a pattern on the printing sheet, and at least one return electrode being provided for discharging the current flowing from said recording electrode through the ink ribbon, the thermoelectric printer comprising: (a) a cartridge accommodating the ink ribbon;   (b) a carriage for removably supporting said cartridge;   (c) the return electrode disposed inside said cartridge and containing the ink ribbon to discharge the current flowing from said recording electrode through the ink ribbon; and   (d) conductive means arranged to contact said return electrode when said cartridge is installed to said carriage, for discharging the current from said return electrode to said carriage.   
     
     
       2. The thermoelectric printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conductive means comprises at least one conductive contact element disposed on said carriage such that, when said cartridge is installed on said carriage, the contact element protrudes inside said cartridge to electrically contact said return electrode. 
     
     
       3. The thermoelectric printer as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conductive means further comprises a conductive resilient member interposed between said return electrode and the contact element when said cartridge is installed on said carriage. 
     
     
       4. The thermoelectric printer as claimed in claim 2, wherein the printer is provided with two sets of said return electrodes and contact elements. 
     
     
       5. The thermoelectric printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said return electrode has an exposed portion exposed outside said cartridge, and said conductive means comprises at least one conductive contact element disposed on said carriage to electrically contact with the exposed portion of said return electrode when said cartridge is installed on said carriage. 
     
     
       6. The thermoelectric printer as claimed in claim 5, wherein the printer is provided with two sets of said return electrodes and contact elements.